For new Moms and Dads, having a baby is a thrilling occasion! It’s also stressful one and, at first, it seems that there is simply too much to cope with. Rest assured, you will find that the truth is much more easy to handle: as a mom you are built to do the job of bringing up baby, and it will become easier as you get used to it. There are some essential items that you need for baby’s nursery, however, and one of these is a playard. Also known as a playpen, these clever items keep baby safe while you go about your other tasks, and are very useful indeed.

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What do you need to consider when buying a playard? Let’s have a look at the things you need to think about.

Types of Playard

The playard or playpen is not a new invention, but one that has been with us for many years. Indeed, as a baby, you may well have had a similar enclosure, although today’s versions are more sophisticated, and are dedicated to the job. The traditional playpen is a wooden structure, perhaps like the one you had when you were a baby, but the modern playard tends to be constructed of a metal or plastic frame, with mesh walls for comfort and protection.

This type of playard is undoubtedly the preferred option: they offer the advantage of being lightweight and easy to deconstruct and put back together, so you can take them with you when you go on holiday. The mesh sides allow you to see through so you can see just what baby is up to, and you can move the playard around from room to room if you are going about your daily chores while baby plays. Be sure to put some of his or her favourite toys in the playard so that it becomes a home for the baby, as this will make it more familiar for the baby.

Cost of Playard

Budget is always a factor when buying for the nursery, and with so many items needed you want to get the best for your money. If you have a pre-set budget, you need to check the prices of various playards as there is a great range in terms of different prices. Look to pay a minimum of $100 or so for a good quality playard, but there are many that cost a great deal more. Make sure you buy the best you can afford, as you may need to use it again when baby number two comes along!

Consider the Size

You will find there are many different sizes of playard, so you need one that will fit your available space. Check out the nursery, where it may spend most of its time, but also check other areas of the home so you can be sure you have space to place the playard when you move it around. All in all, they are relatively compact items that do not take up a great deal of space – certainly less than a conventional cot – so choose carefully and you will have no problem.

Safety Features

Safety is an essential consideration where your baby is concerned, so you need to ensure you buy a playard that conforms to the relevant safety regulations. Look for the safety mark, and check with the provider that it is up to date and passed as safe to use. Also, check the playard on a regular basis as they can develop holes in the floor material and netting on the sides, so this needs to be attended to quickly to keep baby safe. Also, make sure that you have constructed your playard as per the instructions, and that it is secure and safe for baby to use.

A playard really is an essential item for your baby’s nursery, and will make your life a lot easier. It’s also handy for using all around the home, and is easy to pack away when you go elsewhere. Have a look at the many different types available and you will see that there is plenty of choice in terms of type, range and budget, and make sure that your new baby has the perfect, secure place to play.

Single-parent families are rather frequent nowadays, and the life of a single Mom can be quite stressful and messy. It brings high levels of pressure, struggling with lower incomes, constant lack of time, social isolation, possible judgmental environment, loneliness and many other challenges. Also, many single Moms worry about the effect of lack of father figure to child’s behavior. Explaining the divorce issue is a problem itself and introducing some new man to your child is an even harder task. Here is some useful advice Single Moms should apply to stay strong and raise a healthy and happy child.

Love comes over duties

It’s easy to get lost and overwhelmed by all the every day’s duties. Balancing career with housework and all the aspects of child rearing might deprive your child of your basic emotions and love towards him or her. Don’t forget to show them pure emotions at least through some small gestures and intimate moments.

Routine, discipline and helping hands

The only way to keep everything under control and to fulfill all the challenges single-motherhood imposes is to create a routine schedule and to stick to it. Stay disciplined, have a solid structure of a day and don’t be afraid or ashamed to ask for help every time you need it.

Babysitting shouldn’t make you feel guilty

Hiring someone responsible, reliable and dedicated to babysitting your child occasionally does not make you “not enough parent.” You are not handling your basic role to someone else; you are leaning on part-time help.

Spoiling a child is not a proof of love

Careful with this trap. Setting loose all the limits and house rules to create a false feeling of excessive loving will only harm your child in the long run. Imposing limits and discipline are included into the healthy raising of a kid.

Don’t neglect you own life

You need time for yourself, and you have to keep up with the personal aspect of your life. Otherwise, you’ll turn into the obsessed and stressed parent, too frustrated to project positive and healthy energy and attitudes toward a child.

Troubling communication, frequent quarrels, and emotional distancing are commonly seen problems in Mother – Daughter relationships. Psychologists have done thousands of researches and experiment to get deeper and more precise understanding of this phenomena, to help both sides overcome this issue and go through years of family life without scars and frustrations. Struggles between mother and daughter often leave consequences to both of them, and the issue goes on by daughter transferring her frustrations onto her future child and so on. This specific relationship faces various challenges depending on the stages in life, but here is some useful advice on how to improve it and prevent this circle of bad Mom – Daughter relations running forward in your family.

Learn to communicate properly

People fight because they don’t know how to discuss issues properly. Learn to talk honestly with the primary aim to solve the issue, instead of proving the point. Watch your words. Never assault or attack with personal arguments. Avoid cliché comments such as “When I was your age” and “You’re too young to know anything about life.” Respect your daughter’s attitudes, even if you don’t agree. Let your daughter live up to her actual age, without you imposing wisdom and experience of your life onto her. Keep open the option of agreeing to disagree.

The difference between listening and hearing

Even if you’ve seen it all before when you were at that age, don’t just listen to her waiting for your time to speak. Engage into conversation with a true wish to understand your daughter’s point of view. No one expects you to be Super Mom and read thoughts, but try to spot the underlying emotions beneath the spoken words. It is particularly important if you’re a Mom of a teenager.

Accept the generation gap

Lifestyles, interests, and attitudes truly change over the decades, so it’s normal for you to get confused and find many of your daughter’s aspect of behavior strange. If it turns out to be just a matter of manner and style, without some actual risk for your daughter, let it be. Your way doesn’t have to be the only right way.

The first day at the primary school is the first page of a whole new chapter in your child’s life. Both child and the parents approach this day with excitement, fear, even sadness because every major change in life brings a certain dose of nostalgia. The start of the school brings new aspects into your child’s life, and parents will no longer be the center of child’s world. New friends, books, and topics, plays and adventures, physical changes, even the first crushes are taking place now. The Big school imposes new environment, new people, authorities, discipline, schedules, and new habits. Thus it can be a transition phase in child’s life. Here are some useful advice you can apply beforehand and easy these changes for your child.

Get familiar with the terrain

Describe the school routine and the atmosphere to your child, but be realistic. Encourage them to explore and not to be afraid of new faces and rules, but bring the whole picture closer to them to fight the fear of unknown. Enounce new friends, teachers, marks, tests, duties and fun combined and always comfort you child explaining that all other kids feel similar towards school and struggle with the same thoughts and emotions. To get to know the terrain, visit the school and school yard with your child.

Start applying school routine occasionally before it starts

To avoid shock, fatigue, anxiety and nervous breakdowns when duties strike and the discipline is required, start preparing your child for school routine and strict daily schedule. Organize their day, so it starts at the pretty much same time, set an early bed time, assign them with some duties for few hours every day and set limits for the playground.

Teach them some useful life skills

To boost their independency, responsibility and to make them feel important in a new life task, teach your kids to prepare their breakfast and a snack, to pack their books and prepare the cloths for school. Train their personal organization, instruct them about hygiene in school and encourage them to feel free to ask for help and talk to teachers and other kids without hesitation.